BE CAREFULL THOSE THINGS YOU WISH FOR…
2 YEARS AGO TODAY…BRIAN BURKE WAS NAMED THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS…
IT’S STILL NOT CLEAR…HOW EXACTLY A GENERAL MANAGER OF ONE NHL TEAM CAN TRADE HIMSELF TO ANOTHER NHL TEAM IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEASON…
BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY…
AT THE TIME…THIS MARRIAGE HAD ALL THE PROMISE OF WAYNE AND JANET GRETZKY…
NOW IT LOOKS MORE LIKE “TIGER AND ELIN”…
WHEN BURKE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR THE JOB….HE DESCRIBED TORONTO AS A HOCKEY CITY…THIS WAY…
“IF YOU’RE CATHOLIC…THIS IS THE VATICAN”…IT WOULD NOW APPEAR…TORONTO FANS ARE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE MORE FAITH…
LAST SEASON THEY FINISHED 29TH OVER IN THE NHL…WITH A MERE 74 POINTS…
THIS SEASON THEY ARE NOW IN 13TH PLACE IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE AND ON PACE TO FOR A MERE 71 POINTS……
ALL THIS GETS US THE PHIL KESSEL TRADE…
BURKE SURRENDERED 2 FIRST ROUND PICKS AND A SECOND ROUNDER TO BOSTON…
AT THIS RATE…IT WILL COST THE LEAFS…AT LEAST…BACK TO BACK BLUE CHIP DRAFT PICKS…
IN THE MEANTIME…KESSELL CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE…
HE HAS JUST 5 POINTS IN HIS LAST 14 GAMES…
IN HIS FIRST 2 YEARS ON THE JOB…BRIAN BURKE’S LEAFS AT 10 GAMES UNDER .500…
THERE’S ALSO THE ISSUE OF CAP MANAGEMENT…
BURKE HAS SPENT BIG…ESPECIALLY ON FREE AGENTS…
AS A RESULT THE LEAFS HAVE THEIR NOSE FIRMLY PRESSED UP AGAINST THE CAP…
AND AFTER 2 YEARS OF TRYING…HE STILL HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TRADE TOMAS KABERLE…
WHO IS ABOUT TO BECOME AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT…
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS…
BRIAN BURKE IS GETTING PAID $18 MILLION OVER 6 YEARS TO WIN A STANLEY CUP…
CLEARLY HIS DECISION TO FAST TRACK THAT PROCESS HAS BLOWN UP IN HIS FACE…
KEEP IN MIND…THE TEAM HE WON A CUP WITH IN ANAHEIM…WAS BUILT BY BRIAN MURRAY…
SO UNLESS BURKE CAN FIND ANOTHER WINNING LOTTERY TICKET…AND HAVE 3 FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS SUCH AS CHRIS PRONGER…SCOTT NIEDERMAYER AND TEEMU SELANNE…FALL INTO HIS LAP…
THE LEAFS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOSE HOCKEY GAMES…AND THE PRESSURE IN GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOUNT…
AND THAT’S THE TROUBLE WITH GETTING WHAT YOU WANT…
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LEARN…HOW TO LIVE WITH IT…
2 comments:
Brian Burke is not only one of the most arrogant team executives in sports history, he is the MOST OVER-RATED, period.
The thing about good ol' Burkie to remember is this: his best moves are at the draft table when he has a chip or two. He will come away with the best coup in the draft, making him look like a brilliant hockey genius. He pulled the Pronger move with Hartford and the move to get both Sedins for the Canucks. After that, nothing. With the exception of drafting Kesler in what was a strong draft, his drafting record is a sad joke. For every odd good trade he makes, he makes three bad ones. Burke almost always gets lesser value in return. He runs players out of town(I'll drive him to the airport) by publicly humiliating them. He picks fights with the media who dare criticize his moves.
Let's remember this as well. It WASN'T Burke that turned the Canucks' financial fortunes around. It was former Orca Bay CEO, Dave Cobb. No wonder why the latter was eagerly scooped up by the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organizing Committee.
Burke also denied the Canucks the use of a sharp updated Johnny Canuck logo that was designed by North Vancouver artist, Glen Green. Originally planned for a previous third jersey during the Orca Bay era, Burke was upset with Vancouver Sun columnist, Greg Douglas, who had leaked out the design in one of his Saturday columns. Big deal that it got leaked Mr. Burke! For that, we Canuck fans were stuck with the ugly orca logo that still plagues the Canucks' uniforms today. It was always about Brian Burke and his obese-sized ego.
The bottom line is this: as long as Burke runs the Leafs, the '67 drought will continue to be the ugly gorilla that clings on to the back of Leafs Nation.
Hey Dave we all Burks number one fan. all kidding your so right on the money with this one. your's truly Rob in Toronto
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